You don't need to bring home workbooks or flashcards to keep them nimble with numbers. In fact, either of those solutions are likely to be both dreaded and regretted. Giving kids comfort with math begins with everyday experience with numbers. Think of all the ways you use numbers; on the phone, prices in the grocery store, numbers on buildings. How about cooking together and using recipes that call for counting and measuring? Recipe too big, how abouot cutting it in half? Showing kids how math is needed in everyday life makes sense. Have your preschooler help with setting the table: how many forks do you need? How many napkins? Playing scrabble or monopoly with older kids? Give them the job of score keeper and banker. Along with classics like Dominos with young players and Yahtzee with school age kids Here are some more playful choices that will enhance their math skills.

When you add up birthday party presents for all of your child's classmates, friends, teammates and relatives - it can get overwhelming and expensive. Add multiple kids to the equation and it can put a real strain on your budget. On the other hand, you want to give a memorable gift. Here are some of our favorites and several suggested by our testing families. The idea is to give a gift that matches the birthday child's interests without breaking the bank. Click here to see our best birthday present picks. Stephanie shared many of our picks on NBC's TODAY SHOW on June 25th.

Normally we review other people's books. Today it's my turn to give a huge shout out for Joanne's latest picture book! The Prince's Breakfast (Barefoot Books) focuses on a story that so many families can relate to - the prince doesn't like to eat anything! Joanne takes the Prince and his royal family on a fun globe-trotting adventure to find a solution. The book is beautifully illustrated by Miriam Latimer. You may remember the Prince, he had a hard time getting to sleep in The Prince's Bedtime. And to make things even better, the audio that comes with the book is narrated by Downton Abbey's Hugh Bonneville. To order your copy click here.

Math and Science skills--or the lack of them--continue to make the news. While educators debate what to do about it, what can parents do? First things first, avoid turning your child into a math phobic worrier with dreaded flash card sessions and extra workbooks. Forget about pre-teaching kids in hopes of giving them a leg up. Your way of doing math may involve techniques that are very different from current classroom methods. Click here for positive ways to help your child become a math whiz:

Meet Greyson MacLean, a toy industry veteran at the age of 14. Greyson is the creator of BrickStix. If you have a child who plays with LEGO, you probably know about these removable cling stickers that allow kids to customize their creations. The BrickStix also require and help develop fine motor skills while they're playing- a huge plus. Read my interview with Greyson.

How'd you get into toys? The number one question I'm always asked once I tell people what I do for a living. For me, it's easy-- it's all about my mother. She's been writing about kids and play since the 80's, while I was in law school. Then I became a parent and toys took on a new importance. But it does make you wonder? Something so obviously playful about toys. Of course, it's a business - but it does take a certain sparkle in the eye to leap into a world where your target consumer is a child. So we started the Meet the Toymaker series to find out how other people found their way to toyland.

Meet Alice Brooks and Bettina Chen, the founders of Roominate - one of the new toy companies I'm most excited about this year. Alice and Bettina, both engineers by training, have joined forces to create a construction toy line that engages girls in building and introduces them to basic engineering concepts. Roominate is part of a larger and very exciting trend of toy companies that focus on making STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fun and accessible for girls. Research supports that girls who are not exposed to construction toys and concepts like circuits are behind their male counterparts when they get to college level STEM courses. Playing with blocks is not just fun, but it can make a huge difference in the level of confidence young women have about STEM-related course work and ultimate career paths. We applaud Alice and Bettina's commitment to the next generation of what they hope will be full of female scientists, mathematicians and engineers. We can't wait to see how Roominate grows as a company.Read my interview with Alice and Bettina.